For most of its nearly four-decade history, Earth Day has been a call to safeguard such precious resources as clean air and water for future generations, resources put at increasing risk by pollution.

By Sudeep Reddy, The Dallas Morning News Mar. 14--WASHINGTON -- The oil and gas industry is watching some of its longtime friends slowly slip away.

WASHINGTON _ The oil and gas industry is watching some of its longtime friends slowly slip away. High energy prices and election-year politics have made many lawmakers in Washington wary of stepping up for big oil companies that are under fire from consumers.